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As Tuesday dawned inhabitants of the planet's dirtiest urban center encountered breathing extremely polluted air that fell into the "alarming" range.

Record-Breaking Air Quality Levels

Various sections of the city recorded an pollution measurement exceeding 500, which translates to 10x the recommended level established by the WHO.

In some locations, concentrations of toxic particulate matter hit highs of 1800, amounting to 15 to 20 times exceeding safe levels.

Fireworks Prohibition and Current Developments

For the past four years, the government had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the hazardous smog that covers the capital as winter begins.

However in recent months, the current city government petitioned the highest court to seek a relaxation of the ban.

The suggestion was allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – previously doubted by environmental experts as being only approximately one-third less polluting – as a middle ground between "tradition and environment".

Judicial Ruling and Implementation

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental advocates, judicial authorities complied with the appeal, mandating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be set off during designated periods throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was widespread disregard of the regulated periods across the city, with minimal enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly variety.

Several air quality sensors throughout the city recorded pollution reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst levels recorded during Diwali in at least three years.

Cross-Border Consequences

Extensive ignition of firecrackers during Diwali also triggered a blame game with bordering the neighboring country, with representatives in Pakistan's Punjab province partially attributing deteriorating air quality in their urban centers on hazardous particles coming from India following the festivities.

Persistent Pollution Crisis

Alarmingly severe readings of atmospheric toxins in Delhi have remained as a major issue for fifteen-plus years, with the situation gradually deteriorating.

Around celebratory seasons, the levels of dangerous particulate matter in the environment has been found to spike to 70% higher the peak readings ever documented in Beijing, which was formerly regarded as the globally most contaminated urban center.

Multiple Contamination Sources

The problem in Delhi is caused by a combination of various sources including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, building projects, rubbish burning and haze from crop residue ignition in neighbouring areas of farming communities.

Within these states, farmers routinely burn crop residue to expedite field preparation, producing hazardous pollution that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as colder air arrives.

Medical and Financial Toll

Both financial and medical impact on the nearly 33 million people calling home the capital region is significant, according to numerous research.

These hazardous conditions leads to high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing conditions, and can result in oncological diseases.

The pollution is projected to be responsible for approximately 10k premature deaths each year in Delhi.